Riding is a sport and pastime with a broad appeal. Many stables house horses for their owners and also maintain their own string of horses for rental or use by members of equestrian clubs. Children especially enjoy riding. But mounting a horse is often difficult for younger children due to the relative size of the child and the horse.
A common difficulty arises due to the height of the stirrup from the ground. Typically, riders mount a horse by placing one foot in the stirrup and lifting themselves up to the height of the saddle. The rider then lifts the free leg over the saddle and sits on the saddle. Often the stirrup is too high off the ground for the child to get a toehold in the stirrup. Even if a toehold is achieved, the awkwardness of the stance makes lifting the entire body up to saddle height difficult. Further, the child may not have the strength to raise his or her body from this awkward stance.
The problem of mounting a horse, however, is not limited to children. Adults with limited mobility, for example from diseases such as multiple sclerosis and arthritis, or injury to a leg, may also lack the agility or strength to lift the entire body on one leg by means of a stirrup far above ground. Often, the adult or child requires assistance to mount the horse, whether it is from a helping hand or through the use of special equipment.
An example of special equipment is a platform, typically found in stables that are open to the public for pleasure riding. The platform is raised from the ground to substantially the height of the stirrup. The rider climbs stairs to the platform. A horse is positioned beside the platform and the rider inserts his or her foot into the stirrup. Because the stirrup is substantially at the same height as the platform on which the rider stands, the rider need not raise or lower the foot by a great distance to achieve a toehold in the stirrup.
Such equipment, however, is not portable. When on a trek or outing, the rider is compelled to remain mounted on the horse. Without the equipment, the rider would have similar problems dismounting. Moreover, once dismounted on the trek, the rider faces the same problem with remounting as he or she had with mounting the horse. Therefore, there is a need for portable equipment that allows a rider to mount and dismount a horse.